Partnership gives towns millions in energy grants

A quest for energy efficiency is unfolding in town halls and the Statehouse alike.

Gerry Tuoti Wicked Local Newsbank Editor

A quest for energy efficiency is unfolding in town halls and the Statehouse alike.

Earlier this month, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources accepted 30 new cities and towns into the state’s Green Communities program, an initiative that provides grants to municipalities that adopt a series of energy efficiency policies and set a goal of reducing their energy consumption by 20 percent within five years.

Since the voluntary program launched in 2010, it has provided $65 million in competitive grants for more than 550 lighting upgrades, 350 weatherization projects, 4,875 heating and ventilation upgrades and other projects, according to the DOER.

“The program has been extremely successful,” said Deputy DOER Commissioner Dan Burgess. “We see it as one of the most significant outreach programs we have. We have developed strong relationships with municipalities across the state, with communities as large as Boston and as small as Hawley, which has a population of 355.”

When a city or town becomes a “Green Community,” it must undergo a baseline energy audit, which is used to determine its current energy use and future goals. Other criteria for joining the program include adopting an accelerated permitting system for renewable energy generation facilities, a commitment to purchasing only fuel-efficient municipal vehicles and implementing a building code that sets stricter energy efficiency requirements on new construction.

New Green Communities are given an initial grant award for energy efficiency projects, then are eligible to apply for additional competitive grants in the future.

There are now 185 Green Communities, encompassing 65 percent of the state’s population.

View Green Community Grants in a full screen map

Geoff Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, said the Green Communities program is a good example of an effective state-local partnership.

“Communities all across the state will use these grant funds for innovative programs to reduce energy usage and invest in renewable energy projects, and the benefits will flow to taxpayers and the environment,” he said.

The program’s 2015 progress report, the most recently available one, found Green Communities had saved enough energy to power and heat 17,100 homes over seven years. The program is projected to result in reductions in greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 37,000 cars off the road for a year.

As of October 2015, seven communities had met their five-year energy goals.

“Leadership and action at the municipal level are essential to our state's success in conserving resources and capturing renewable energy,” Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, said in a statement.

The Green Communities grants are funded by carbon allowance auction proceeds from the multi-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and from payments made by retail electric suppliers that fail to meet their renewable energy portfolio requirements.

“It’s helping the communities save money, and it’s helping the state reach its statewide energy goals,” Burgess said. “It allows them to become more sustainable, then ship that funding to other priorities, such as schools and police.”